Checking pencil



Patented Nov. 16, 1943 CHECKING PENCIL Leland S`. Malm and John F. Oneto, ySan Francisco, Calif.

Application December 19, 1941, serial No. 423,650

` Claims. This` invention relates to checking pencils Whichwill be found useful in conjunction with suitable electro-magnetic counting systemslin the checking of drawings, inventories or the like.

More particularly, the invention'relates to a portable checking pencil yserving thedual pur-` pose of making a` mark onor in;` relation to the thing counted, and ,closing a circuit in an associated electro-magnetic counting system to effect a count. l l

vA 'checking pencilsuch as that forming the subject matter of this application will be found yusefulin manyf operations: n For example, in

checking blue printsxor` drawings to determine the total number of such items as electrical out-k lets4 or the like, or in the Vtaking of inventories, it will be helpful to have V,a devicevcapable of not only marking the items counted,vbut also causing a circuit to be closed to actuate anelectro-magnetic counting means. Suchl electromagnetic counting means are known in the art and form no part of` the subject matter of the present application.

In termsv of general inclusion, the objects of thisv invention arefto provide a checking pencil,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the pencil forming the subject matter of Figure 1.

, There is provided an elongated pencil holder in the form of a hollow tubular member Ill adapted to receive for slidable. movement therein a conventional lead propelling pencil II. Since substantially all conventional lead propelling type pencils are of a uniform shape having a tapered end I2, the corresponding end of the tubular member Il) is likewise tapered, as at I3, thus providing a positive stop determining, in one direction, the longitudinal movement of pencil II within holder I0. As will be noted from Figure 1, the tapered end I3 of the holder Il) vis open, and the tapered portion I2 of the pencil (Cl.v 200-5` 2) Y II projects therethrough to expose the pencil lead Il. I

In many of the conventional lead propelling type pencils, it is necessary to hold one portion against rotation while rotating some,k other `portion to propel or repel the lead. For purposes of illustration inthis application, the portion of the pencil I Il which is to be held ragainstrotation is section IB of pencil barrel I1.` A collar I8 within the holder I0 encircles saidrsectionNI-G of pencilII and a setscrew I8, extending through a slot in holder -I0has a threaded engagement with the said collar. Normally set screw I9 is .turned completely through the collar to bear against section I6 of pencil II and thus hold it against rotation. -It is, ofcourse, within the broad principle of ythis invention that the holder maybe modied to meet variances in different pencils by relocating the means just described, or their equivalent, to engage 'some other part of the pencil which must be retained against rotation inpropelling or repelling the lead.`

At orfabout midway of the length of `holder I0, we provide a pair of apertures 2| through which the barrel Il of the pencil II may` be grasped with the fingers' to rotate the lsame and thus propel or repel the lead I4.

From the `foregoing description, it will be understood that pencil II is free to move axially inholder III within the limits of the restricted movement of set screw I9 in slot 20 in holdery I0 and engagement of the tapered portion I2 of pencil Il by the reduced tapered end I3 of holder I0.

The circuit-making means is retained in the kend of holder I0 opposite the tapered end I3, as

will be noted from Figure l.

A plunger 24 slidably received within holder I0 is abutted by the end of pencil II opposite the tapered end? I2, and the said plunger carries a, rod 25 extending coaxially of holder Ill. The rod 25,011 plunger 24 is slidably received for a portion of its length by plug 26, iitted within the end of the holder I0 and having a bore 21 therein in coaxial alignment with the rod 25. Tightly fitted in the outer end of bore 21 in plug 26, there is provided an insulatork 29 carrying a contact pin 3G. Ari helical spring 3| disposed between plunger 24 and plug 26 and encircling rod 25 normally urges the pencil Il toward the opposite end of the holder I0 subject to the combined stop action heretofore described, namely, the restricted end I3 of holder II and the movementy of set screw I9 in slot 20.

As will be appreciated from Figure 1, pressure on pencil lead I4 will cause axial movement of by out of operative position ready for further use.

Suitable-lead wires 33 and 34 are connected to contact pin 30 and grounded in plug 2,6, respectively, thus providing electrical connection with f any conventional electro-magnetic counting system.

trical contact seated in the bore of the plug for` a portion of its length, a plunger in the tubular member having a contact pin slidably received by the bore in said plug, and a spring member disposed between said plug and said plunger.

3. A checking device comprising an elongated tubular member having a pencil receiving chamber therein, a closed end and a restricted opening in the other end, a plug fixed in the closed end of the tubular member, a bore in said plug,

an electrical contact seated in the bore for a por- A screw cap 35 has a, threaded engagement with the end of the holder I0 as a convenient cloeye 36 by which the device may be hung, if de- V sired.

From the foregoing, it is believed clear that the invention forming the subject matter of this application may take many forms other than that selected for illustration Without departing from the splrit'of the invention, and hence full `protection is desired according to'the scope of the appended claims. 'i

The invention claimed is:

1. A checking device comprising an elongated tubular member having therein a chamber to receive a pencil of a lead propelling type, a closed end and a restricted opening at the other end, an electrical contact fixed in the closed end of the tubular member, a slidable second electrical contact in thetubular member between the end of a pencil received thereby and the xed contact,

yieldable means normallyurging apart the said electrical contacts, means carried bythe tubular member to hold a part of the pencil against rotation, and an opening in the tubular member providing access to a rotatable part o f the pencil.

2. A checking device comprising an elongated tubular member having a chamber therein to slidably receive a pencil of the 'lead propelling type, a closed end and a restricted opening in the other end,a plug fixed in the closed end of the tubular member, a bore in said plug,` an election of its length, a plunger in the tubular member having a contact pin slidably received by the bore in said plug, and a spring member disposed between said plug and said plunger.

4. A checking device of the class described comprising an elongated tubular member having a chamber therein to receive a pencil of the lead propelling type, a collar within the tubular member, a slot in the tubular member overlying the said collar, a set vscrew extending through the slot in the tubular member and having threaded engagement with rthe collar, a pair of apertures in the shell of thetubular member permitting gripping of a `pencil disposed therein, a pair of `Velectrical contacts disposed in the tubular member; yieldable means normally urging apart the electrical contacts but responsive to pressure applied to the writing point of a pencil carried by' said tubular member to permit closing of the contacts.

5. In a checking device, the combination of an relongated tubular holder having a pencil receiving chamber therein, means for retaining a selected part of a pencil received in the holder against rotation, an opening in the holder permitting gripping therethrough of a rotatable portion of the pencil, Ymeans limiting axial move- 'ment ofA a pencil within the holder, a pair of electrical contacts disposed in the holder, yieldable means normally urging apart the electrical contacts but responsive to pressure applied to the writing point of a pencil carried by said holder `to permit closing of said contacts.

LELAND s. MALM. JOHN F. oNrz'ro.` 

